Project Status



Project Type:  Rainwater Catchment

Regional Program: Western Kenya WaSH Program

Impact: 500 Served

Project Phase:  In Service - Nov 2016

Functionality Status:  Functional

Last Checkup: 08/10/2024

Project Features


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Community Profile

This project is a part of our shared program with Western Water And Sanitation Forum (WEWASAFO). Our team is pleased to directly share the below report (edited for clarity, as needed).

Welcome to the School

Moi Girls High School Vokoli is popularly referred to as "MGV." MGV was established in 1974 by the Friends Church. It is located in Vokoli Village, Vokoli sub-location, Wodanga location, Wodanga Ward, Sabatia Sub-County of Vihiga County. The school started with a total of only 18 students, who participated in their first national exam in 1975, the Kenya Junior Secondary Examination (KJSE).

The school now has only a boarding section, with a total student population of 1150 girls. MGV employs 61 teachers. Out of these, 40 are employed by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), 15 by the Board of Management (BOM) and six are teaching assistants. The school also employs 35 support staff. (Editor’s Note: While this many people may have access on any given day, realistically a single water source can only support a population of 350-500 people. This school would be a good candidate for a second project in the future so adequate water is available. To learn more, click here.)

MGV undertakes a number of agricultural enterprises such as poultry farming, horticulture, dairy farming and fish farming. Other facilities at the school include a mini bakery, a posho mill, and a small butchery. These activities help the school generate income to sustain its operations.

Water Situation

MGV has a rainwater catchment tank, but it only has a capacity of 10,000 liters. This isn't nearly enough for 1150 girls and their teachers! Thus when the tank is dry, girls are sent to a nearby spring to fetch water. However, that spring is not protected. It is open to contamination from surface runoff, human and animal activity, nearby farming, and open defecation.

When girls fetch this water, they use a bucket to bring it back to school. Any extra water that is fetched is consolidated in the rainwater catchment tank. Though students and staff boil the water before drinking, many cases of diarrhea and upset stomach are reported.

Sanitation Situation

The school has a total of 37 VIP latrines, out of which two are for teachers and visitors, leaving 35 for the students. This is not enough for the entire school population, and has resulted in long lines during class breaks. Due to the shortage of water, a good number of latrines are never cleaned, and thus never used. These factors combined deter some girls from using the latrines, and they instead relieve themselves behind the facilities or in the bushes.

There are no hand-washing stations available for either students or staff to use. There are quite a few dish racks and clotheslines available for girls to dry their things.

Plans: Hygiene and Sanitation Training

Teachers and students will be trained on hygiene and sanitation practices for two days. This will equip them with relevant skills on how to operate and maintain the new rainwater catchment tank. It will also equip participants with the skills needed to practice good hygiene, and to promote these practices among peers and the greater community. The end goal is to eliminate water and hygiene-related diseases!

The facilitator plans to use PHAST (Participatory Hygiene and Sanitation Training), CTC (child to child), discussions, lectures, and demonstrations to teach topics including but not limited to disease transmission, hand-washing, and water treatment. The CTC method will prepare students to lead other students into healthy habits, as well as kickstart a CTC club for the school.

Plans: Rainwater Catchment Tank

They school will be involved in making sure that all the needed local materials are on site, such as sand, ballast, and hard core. They will also supervise and monitor the project. Since the student population is so huge, and since they are all overnight boarders, a 50,000-liter rainwater catchment is planned for this water project.

Plans: VIP Latrines

Six new VIP (ventilated improved pit) latrines will be dug and built for these girls. This will help shorten the bathroom lines and ease the rate of open defecation on campus. With a water tank, the girls will have more water to use, giving them a chance to keep their latrines, dorm rooms, and classrooms cleaner.

Plans: Hand-Washing Stations

Two hand-washing stations will be delivered to MGV. They are large, plastic containers that come with stands, and are fitted with taps. The girls that are members of the CTC club will be responsible for ensuring the tanks always have water and a cleaning agent available.

Project Updates


December, 2017: A Year Later: Moi Girls High School

A year ago, generous donors helped build a rainwater catchment system and new latrines for Moi Girls High School in Kenya. Because of these gifts and our monthly donors, partners can visit project sites throughout the year, strengthening relationships with communities and evaluating the actual water project. These consistent visits allow us to learn vital lessons and hear amazing stories – we’re excited to share this one from partner Mary Afandi, with you.




Project Photos


Project Type

For a rainwater collection system, we build gutters around a building with good, clean roofing to channel rain where we want it. From there, the water falls through a filtered inlet pipe into a high-capacity storage tank, the size of which is based on population and average rainfall patterns. In the tank, water can be stored for months, where it is easily treated and accessed. Learn more here!


A Year Later: Moi Girls High School

October, 2017

“The water supply is now reliable. It saves the students much time, now used for their studies.”

Keeping The Water Promise

There's an incredible community of monthly donors who have come alongside you in supporting clean water in Moi Girls High School.

This giving community supports ongoing sustainability programs that help Moi Girls High School maintain access to safe, reliable water. Together, they keep The Water Promise.

We’re confident you'll love joining this world-changing group committed to sustainability!

A year ago, generous donors helped build a rainwater catchment system and new latrines for Moi Girls High School in Kenya. Because of these gifts and our monthly donors, partners can visit project sites throughout the year, strengthening relationships with communities and evaluating the actual water project. These consistent visits allow us to learn vital lessons and hear amazing stories – we’re excited to share this one from partner Mary Afandi, with you.

The school got a 30,000 liter water tank, 2 hand washing stations and six latrines last year. After the construction of the water tank the students have access to clean water for drinking and washing their personal effects, dormitories, and classrooms. The water tank was also constructed next to the washrooms making it very convenient to draw water for use. Access to water has also helped save time that was wasted queuing for water. Nowadays the students have sufficient time to concentrate on their classwork and personal reading.

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Science teacher, Shem Lidonde, says “the water supply is now reliable. It saves the students much time, now used for their studies. The water tank and latrines are well maintained by the school. The two facilities have also greatly improved the school's general infrastructure.”

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Mary also spoke with 18-year-old Melvin Arleso who said, “the level of sanitation and hygiene has greatly improved. The stress of looking for water has been eliminated. It is convenient to draw water from the tank and use it in the washrooms. We have enough time now to engage in extra curriculum activities such as drama, athletics, and public speaking,” says Melvin. “This ensures students develop wholesomely (all around).”

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The water sanitation standards at Moi Girls School have greatly improved after the construction of the tank and latrines. The school community requires more training on water and sanitation because more students have enrolled even as others leave the school upon completion of the fourth form. We will support the school by carrying out routine monitoring and evaluation. In addition, the staff is ready and willing to carry out hygiene and sanitation training when requested and responsible for dosing of the tank.

The Water Project and our partners are committed to consistent monitoring of each water source. Our monitoring and evaluation program, made possible by monthly donors, allows us to visit communities up to four times a year. Read more about our program and how you can help.


Navigating through intense dry spells, performing preventative maintenance, conducting quality repairs when needed and continuing to assist community leaders to manage water points are all normal parts of keeping projects sustainable. The Water Promise community supports ongoing sustainability programs that help Moi Girls High School maintain access to safe, reliable water.

We’d love for you to join this world-changing group committed to sustainability.

The most impactful way to continue your support of Moi Girls High School – and hundreds of other places just like this – is by joining our community of monthly givers.

Your monthly giving will help provide clean water, every month... keeping The Water Promise.


Contributors


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7 individual donor(s)